Iran: Ukrainian jetliner was downed by two short-range missiles, says report

Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation in its report said that the Ukranian plane that crashed after taking off from Tehran on January 8 was downed by two short-range surface-to-air missiles. The second preliminary investigation report says that the Tor-M1 missiles were launched at the Ukranian jetliner from the north.

The report further stated that the plane took off at 6:12 am local time and it lost all contact with air traffic control at around 8,100 feet. The Kyiv-bound Boeing 737-800 aircraft disappeared from secondary radar at 6:15 am and from primary radar at 6:18 am. 

Read: Ukrainian Plane Crash Investigation Handed Over To UN Aviation Experts

Preliminary report

According to the report, the first physical contact that the aircraft made was with a ground at a public park before sliding through a football pitch, nearby farmland, and gardens. Iran has retrieved the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder.

However, the equipment is so advance that they cannot decode it themselves. France and the United States accident investigation agencies have declined to send the necessary technology that would be needed in decoding the black boxes. 

Read: Iranian Missiles That Hit Ukrainian Plane Were Fired 30 Seconds Apart: Report

All 176 people were killed after Iran mistakenly fired two short-range missiles on the morning of January 8 amid high tension between Tehran and Washington. Most of the citizens onboard the Ukranian flight were Iranians or dual citizens; 57 people among those killed were from Canada while 11 were from Ukraine.

All 11 Ukranian bodies arrived in Kyiv on Sunday where President Volodymyr Zelensky was waiting to pay respect. It was earlier speculated that Iran would send the flight data recorders to Ukraine but Tehran on Sunday denied all reports. 

Read: Iran: Man Who Posted Video Of Missile Striking Ukrainian Plane Arrested

The downing of the plane was a mistake from the Iranian military side as the accident happened hours after Tehran had fired dozens of missiles on two Iraqi military bases that were hosting the US-led coalition forces.

Tehran's missile attacks on US bases were retaliatory action after Washington killed Iran's top military commander Qassem Soleimani on January 3 in a drone attack near Baghdad airport in Iraq. 

Read: Rouhani: Everyone Responsible For Ukrainian Plane Crash Must Be Punished